


Where the Heart Is

by theotpeffect



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: 12 Days of Christmas, Domestic Fluff, Family Fluff, Fluff, Fluff without Plot, M/M, Single Parent Lance (Voltron)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-14
Updated: 2018-12-21
Packaged: 2019-09-17 22:00:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 12,925
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16982580
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theotpeffect/pseuds/theotpeffect
Summary: Keith has been dating Lance for a while and things have become serious between them, which means it's finally time to meet Lance's son. For the first time, Keith feels as if he has a chance to make a real family.





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a hot mess, but I just wanted to write something fun and not obsess about the technicalities too much (although as I post this my eye is twitching)! Anyhow, I'm sure once I'm done with this and my secret santa project I'll be able to come back and do some editing and make it better! As for right now, please enjoy!

            Keith stood in front of Lance’s front door with a bouquet of roses in one hand and a stuffed blue lion in the other. Both the flowers and the toy clung limply to his hands as he mustered the courage to knock.

            He shifted his feet, and juggled his things between his hands, raised his fist. And then he heard a tiny shriek on the other side of the door. He paused and listened as a pair of feet pounded around the apartment, followed by another shriek, this time louder and laced with laughter.

            “Pa _pa,”_ a young boy’s voice said. Keith’s breath caught.

            Lance, form the other side of the door, laughed. His much deeper voice mingled with the boy’s, creating the give and take of a conversation. They laughed together and suddenly, Keith’s hesitation became yearning. On the other side of that door was a _family._ One he desperately wanted to be a part of.

            He knocked.

            The laughter didn’t stop, only got louder as footsteps approached.

            “Go wash your hands, little man,” Lance said.

            The boy groaned, and Keith could hear him rush off.

            A moment later, the door swung open and showed Lance, wearing the cute, blue buttoned top that hugged him in all the right places. 

            “Hey, beautiful.” He leaned against the door frame and smiled, effectively eviscerating Keith’s remaining brain cells.

            All Keith could think to do was shove the roses into Lance’s face.

            He laughed and took the bouquet from Keith’s hands. “You didn’t have to get me anything.” He hid half his face behind the petals, but it did little to hide the fact that he was

grinning. “Nico is going to be jealous.”

            “I got him something too,” Keith said. He lifted the stuffed lion. “I didn’t know what he liked but I figured I couldn’t go wrong with this.”

            “His bed is more stuffed animal than mattress, he’ll love it,” Lance said. He leaned forward and tugged at Keith’s jacket. “You look good, babe.”

            “You don’t look so bad yourself,” Keith replied. He leaned forward, and kissed Lance like he’d been wanting to for the past week.

            They hadn’t seen each other since Lance announced it was time for Keith to meet his son. Not for lack of wanting to, but the summer was the busiest time for the two of them. Their restaurants thrived during these months. It was good for their wallets but bad for their personal lives.

            Lance pulled away with a quiet hum. “Missed you.” He laced his fingers with Keith’s. “Come inside.”

            “You’re sure Nico is okay with meeting me?” Keith asked. Likely, this was the millionth time he’d asked. He trusted Lance enough to know what his own son wanted, but Keith’s anxiety had no trouble speaking for him.

            “Keith, he thinks the potential of having two dads might just be the coolest thing on earth,” he said. He kissed Keith one more time. “He’s excited to meet you, trust me.”

            Keith breathed in deeply. “Okay.” He stumbled into the apartment, now shaky for a different reason. He and Lance had been dating for quite a few months, but being two fathers? Lance had never said that before and they had never discussed raising Nico together. But it was more than clear that they would be in this for the long-haul and Keith wasn’t upset at all about the possibility of being Lance’s partner and Nico’s _dad._ In fact, he didn’t think he had ever wanted anything more.

            Lance tugged at his hand and said softly, “Nico, this is Keith.”

            A little boy, barely up to Keith’s thighs, was standing in the hallway and looking between Keith and his father. It was almost uncanny how much he looked like Lance. His skin was the same shade of brown and so was his hair. The only difference was his eyes which were a deep shade of black, almost purple, and spoke of the Tibetan heritage he had received from his mother.

            “Hi,” Keith said. He worried his voice was too rough, but Nico didn’t seem to care or notice as he walked up to the two of them.

            “Hi,” he replied.

            Lance nudged at Nico’s shoulder gently. “Why don’t you introduce yourself, bud?”

            Nico nodded and stuck his hand out with a determined little furrow in his brow. “I’m Nico.”

            Keith grabbed his hand and was struck with the immensity of his own in comparison. He was slow when he shook it and was careful not to put any more than the slightest pressure onto his tiny palm.

            “Nice to finally meet you,” Keith said. He didn’t know what else to say. Normally, an adult would take over for his awkward silences, but this was a kid who was barely five. _He_ was the adult for once. But he couldn’t find any words to say.

            “Keith got you something,” Lance said once the silence had gone on longer than it should have. This time, Lance nudged Keith’s shoulder.

            “Right,” Keith said. He cradled the lion in both his hands and held it out for Nico. “I hope you like lions.”

            Nico’s eyes widened, and his mouth dropped. He gently took the lion into his own hands and looked at his father.

            “This is like your restaurant, daddy!”

            “That’s right,” Lance said. “What do you say to Keith?”

            Nico hugged the lion to his chest and said quietly, “Thank you.”

            “I’m glad you like her.” Seeing Nico bury his face into the lion’s back the same way Lance had buried his face in the flowers made Keith feel warmth blossom in his chest. “I heard you have a lot of other stuffed animals too.”

            Nico’s eyes lit. “Yeah!” He shot off, down the hall he had come from. Keith straightened from the couch he had dropped into.

            “Well, I’m glad he liked the lion so much.”

            “I told you he would like it.”

            Nico came pounding across the apartment again. This time, there were additional stuffed animals peeking past his arms.

            Upon closer inspection, Keith saw every single one of them was a lion. He had a black one, a yellow one, and a green one. But the one that caught Keith’s attention the most was the red lion leaning comfortably against Nico’s new blue one.

            He marched to the living room, leading Keith and Lance there as well. When they reached the coffee table, Nico began lining up his lions, taking care with their paws and tails that became trapped under their bodies. When he was finished, he nodded and turned back to Keith and Lance.

            “I have a rainbow now!”

            The kid was determined to kill Keith. He wondered if that was the real reason his heart had been in his throat the entire day. Maybe he had never been nervous about impressing Lance’s son but was misinterpreting a sign from whatever divine powers that be. Maybe they had been warning him that he would not be able to fully handle how adorable Lance’s son would be.

            “Wow, that’s pretty amazing,” Keith said.

            Nico seemed pleased. He took Keith’s hand and pulled him down to sit on the floor with him. He then proceeded to introduce Keith to each of his lions and make Keith shake their little paws. Keith was seriously going to melt into a puddle.

            “I’m going to check on dinner,” Lance said. He gave each of them a kiss on the cheek and then retreated into the kitchen. Keith absolutely did not miss the smile that lit his face or the way he practically floated away.

            Nico took their alone time to explain to Keith that the lions were actually from space and that they were only on earth to be with the humans. Nico held the red lion out to Keith. “This one likes you the most.”

            “Does he?” Keith smiled. “Did your dad tell you that I work at a restaurant too?”

            Nico tilted his head and nodded.

            “Did he tell you what my restaurant was called?”

            Nico shook his head.

            “It’s called The Red Lion.”

            Exactly like he had when Keith gave him his present, Nico widened his eyes. But this time he smiled and jumped into the air as well.

            “That’s so cool!” he said. “My dad told me once that you were made for each other. I didn’t get that, but now I do!” Nico ran into the kitchen, completely oblivious to the fact that he had shifted Keith’s axis. “Daddy! Papa! Did you know that Keith’s restaurant’s called The Red Lion?”

            From the living room, Keith could hear Lance’s deep gasp. “I had no idea!”

            Nico giggled. “You did too know.”

            “Okay, I did know,” Lance said with a light laugh. “But are you gonna deny your old man an opportunity to get excited about something?”

            “N _o”_ Nico said.

            “Thank you,” Lance said. He then groaned just about as loud as he had gasped, and Nico was giggling again.

            “I’m not _that_ heavy.”

            “You are definitely that heavy,” Lance said. “To think you were so little I could hold you just like this. Head in one hand, butt in the other.”

            Nico laughed again. “I’m already five, I can’t be that little forever.”

            “Wow, five years old. You’re really getting up there in years aren’t you, old man?” There was a moment’s pause before Lance continued. “Go play with Keith some more. He gets lonely easy.”

            Nico came to join Keith again in the living room. He crossed his arms over his chest and declared. “We’re going to play space lions.” He sat next to Keith and handed him the red lion. “He’s yours.” He pushed the black lion his way too. “He is too. He’s the leader.”

            “You don’t want to play the leader?”

            “That’s too much work.”

            Keith laughed. “Okay, I’ll play with Red and Black.”

            As soon as Keith takes possession of his lions, Nico launches straight into the story. The two of them get lost in the depths of space and on alien planets (the couch and dining room table) until Lance is calling Keith and Nico into the kitchen.

            Once they arrive, he hands Nico the silverware which he dutifully marches to the table. Before Keith can reach for the plates and pasta, Lance is tugging on his belt loops and leaning in for a kiss.

            “You two are so cute together,” Lance said. “I’m really glad you’re getting along.”

            “You didn’t think we were going to get along? I wasn’t going to yell at the kid.”

            “A courtesy you did _not_ extend to me.”

            “He’s five. Plus, I didn’t know you back then.” Keith bit his lip. “But I came in here finally knowing who you are and knowing that that’s your son. I want this to be good for all of us.”

            “Marry me, Keith Kogane.”

            “Promises, promises.”

            They eventually made it out to the dining room where Nico was straightening the forks he had set out.

            “The garlic bread is still in the kitchen, sweetie,” Lance said. Nico immediately dropped what he was doing and whooped as he dashed into the kitchen.

            Soon, the three of them were sitting around the small dining table with an array of pasta, salad and bread set in front of them. Lance and Nico were quick to joke the entire evening and were more than sure to include Keith into their conversations. Even if he didn’t make the best jokes or get theirs every time.

            Before they knew it, their stomachs were full and the three of them were getting tired. The evening quickly wound down after Nico yawned and rubbed at his eyes for the first time.

            “I think it’s bed time,” Lance said. Nico groaned, but didn’t protest anymore as Lance and Keith helped him gather his lions.

            When Keith set the lions down on Nico’s little desk, he couldn’t bring himself to leave the room just yet. Nico was clambering into his bed and Lance was sitting on the very edge, waiting for his son to settle. Once Nico was comfortable and laying down, Lance tucked him in and kissed his forehead.

            “Goodnight, mi tesoro.”

            “Night daddy.” Fighting a yawn, Nico added, “Night Keith.”

            “Goodnight, little buddy,” Keith whispered as he and Lance crept out of his room. Once he had swung the door shut most of the way, Lance looped his arms around Keith’s neck.

            “Are you sure you can’t stay the night.”

            “I should probably go home. I have to open in the morning.” Keith looked at the crack door just behind Lance’s back. “Plus, I feel like we should ease him into this whole thing. Would it weird him out to see me walking around like I live here in the morning?”

            “Nico really doesn’t have a problem with people in the apartment, and he definitely doesn’t have a problem with _you.”_ Lance leaned forward and kissed him. “I don’t have a problem with you staying either.”

            Keith smiled. “I still think I should probably go. I’ll stay when I don’t have to get up at five in the morning. I think, when I do stay over, I want it to be special? I want the time to make pancakes and I guess just figure out how families work come morning.”

            “Okay,” Lance said. He gave Keith a couple more pecks on the lips, smiling too hard to really make them proper kisses. “Okay, fine, I will let you go. But only tonight. Next time you come over it has to be on a day the both of us are free at least in the morning.”

            Keith agreed and they both dragged themselves to the front door where they indulged in kisses much deeper than the ones they had been sharing all night. Lance groaned when they finally unstuck from each other.

            “You are really going to kill me.”

            “You killed me first.” Keith laced his fingers with Lance’s and squeezed his hand. “Nico mentioned that you said we were made for each other.”

            Lance smacked his free hand over his face and chuckled. “Did that kid really have to inherit my big mouth?”

            “I’m glad he told me.” Keith kissed Lance’s cheek and as he was walking away he said, “By the way, I agree.”

            He smiled as Lance sputtered behind him. He tried not to let his shoulders shake too much or let him see his flushed cheeks when he turned to go down the building stairs. Teasing Lance didn’t work when Lance figured out Keith was just as much a mess. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The new season had me thinking about their futures.

            Lance was still resting peacefully against Keith’s bare chest. Neither of them had work and Nico was staying with his grandparents for a couple days. They had Lance’s apartment to themselves and they luxuriated in their days of rest. Usually, Keith would have no problems with drifting off with Lance still in his arms but that morning he couldn’t find it in himself to look away.

            Lance’s beauty had never been lost on Keith but sometimes, like that morning, Keith’s realization would compound over and over on itself until his chest filled with so much emotion there was little room left for his breath.

            Keith trailed his knuckles down Lance’s cheek, making a gentle path down to his jaw which he cupped. He didn’t think he had ever held Lance like this except when he wanted to kiss him. But now, he didn’t have the desire to wake him, just to touch and be near.

            Until Lance finally woke, Keith watched him and left feather-light touches down his face, his neck, his back, his sides. He passed an hour before Lance stirred for the first time. He breathed deep and nuzzled his nose into Keith’s shoulder. He took a few more deep breathes before his eyes fluttered open and immediately went to Keith’s face.

            “Morning,” Lance said. The curtains were still closed, and Keith had only seen but the shadow of the sun until Lance smiled at him. 

            “Hi.”

            Lance stretched and groaned. “How long have you been awake?”

            “Not long,” Keith said. “Slept like the dead.”

            “God, me too. I really needed that.” Lance shuffled up the bed until their noses were brushing. “Hi, dog breath.”

            Keith immediately shoved Lance’s face away. “Your breath isn’t exactly roses and skittles either.”

            Lance laughed and kissed Keith’s palm. “Mouthwash. Then maybe pancakes?”

            “More like Eggo waffles,” Keith groused. “I will not touch a stove today.”

            “I was really hoping you were going to say that.”

            “Then why’d you suggest pancakes?”

            Lance shrugged and properly sat up. “Was kinda thinking you would make them.”

            Keith untangled himself from the sheets. “That’s a hard no.”

            “Hey, I didn’t say I would die without them. I’m just as happy as the next guy about low effort morning activities.”

            “Is that your way of asking for a handjob?”

            They made their way to the small bathroom attached to the master bedroom. It wasn’t wide enough to hold them both comfortably, but Lance still wiggled his way between the wall and Keith’s back as he brushed his teeth.

            “Well, I _was_ thinking about taking a shower.”

            Keith spat and placed his toothbrush in its designated cup. “Maybe I’ll join you, but I’ve got frozen waffles to make.”

            Lance took his turn at the sink and kissed Keith’s neck. “’Kay. I’ll join you in, like, ten minutes.”

            As soon as Keith made it to the kitchen, he began to scrounge around for any ingredients he could find for pancakes. Making the batter was a quick thing and by the time Lance stepped out of the bathroom with only a towel slung low on his hips, Keith was flipping the first pancakes on the skillet.

            “Pancakes!” Lance exclaimed. He slipped his arms around Keith’s hips and peeked over his shoulders only to groan. “With chocolate chips. You really know how to treat a guy.” Lance pressed his face between Keith’s shoulder blades and sighed. “I want this every day.”

            Keith slipped his free hand over Lance’s arms. “If I knew chocolate chip pancakes got you so emotional--”

            Lance smacked his hand gently. “Not that, dillweed. I just meant _this_. Waking up together, making breakfast together.”

            “I’m doing all the work.”

            “Whatever,” Lance huffed. “I’m trying to talk about my fantasies here.”

            Keith smiled and slid the pancakes onto a serving plate and began pouring new ones to replace them “Okay, okay. I’ll shut up.”

            “Geez, way to kill the mood,” Lance muttered. But he still tightened his hold on Keith’s waist and kissed his back. “I’ve just been thinking a lot about living with you.” Keith slowed his movements. “Like, what it would be like if we lived on a little farm. Nico would have so much fun having that much space to play in. Maybe we could get a couple dogs or cats or cows and just--just make a life for ourselves.”

            Keith flipped the pancakes and was silent for a few moments before he said, “I always imagined we would have a couple dogs. Nico’s been staring at dogs on the street a lot more lately, so I think he’d like to have some around.”

            “Yeah,” Lance sighed. “Yeah. A couple dogs and a couple more kids.”

            “Your mom would go insane.”

            “She’s been tortured by children her whole life, what’s a few more?”

            Keith slid the last two pancakes off the stove and turned off the burner. He turned around until the two of them were facing each other.

            “I’ve always wanted a big family,” Keith confessed. “With my mom disappearing and my dad dying when I was so young, I never got that.”

            “I know,” Lance said. He kissed Keith slowly, chastely. “I want to give that to you.”

            “It’s going to be hard to find a decently sized farm that isn’t too far from good schools the kids could go to.”

            “We need to actually get the kids first, you know. I might be able to bribe Veronica into being our surrogate with a few trips to McDonald’s. You’re not allowed to have actual sex with her though. I will kill both of you.”

            “I want to adopt,” Keith said. “There are so many kids who need the chance I was never given.”

            Lance guided Keith’s head down to his shoulder. “Okay, we’ll adopt.”

            Keith wrapped his arms around Lance and squeezed so hard he worried he might suffocate Lance. But he never protested, only began to pet his hair.

            “I never really thought much of my future before,” Keith said. “This is weird.”

            Lance hummed. “I didn’t really either. Not until Nyma got pregnant. And even then, I don’t think it really hit me until I was holding Nico for the first time. But I always thought I would have to do this alone. Now that you’re here, my future is--it’s different in the best way.”

            Keith pressed kisses into Lance’s shoulder and neck and cheek and lips until he felt like he wouldn’t burst. “We should eat the pancakes.”

            “I’ll get the peanut butter!” Lance said.

            “You’re gross.”

            “No, _you’re_ gross.”

            Keith rolled his eyes, but it did nothing to diminish the largest smile he had ever worn.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I missed yesterday, but Saturdays are always stupid busy for me. Anyways, this just means I'm going to post a double update once I have time. Which should be tomorrow or the day after.

Just as Keith was about to clock into work, his phone buzzed. He looked at the screen, fully expecting a to-do list from Shiro. Instead, he found his screen was lit with a short text from Lance.

_my baby is sick :(_

            Keith paused, his finger hovering over the mouse, a twitch away from officially starting his shift. He withdrew just in time, typing out a message faster than he ever had in his life.

_Should I come over?_

Lance took another minute to respond. A minute which Keith spent gnawing through his lip.

_no he’s just got a cold i can manage. i just don’t like seeing him so miserable :(((_

            Keith played with the idea of skipping his shift, but he had taken the past couple days off and didn’t want to leave even more of his responsibilities up to Shiro. He sighed. Their line of work left a lot to be desired when it came to taking an unexpected day off.

_I’ll come by after work_

_you might get sick too_

_I want to make sure he’s okay_

            Lance sent him an uncountable number of hearts as a final reply.

            After that, Keith clocked into his shift, although grumbling under his breath about the inflexibility of restaurant management.

            When Keith finally made it to the kitchen to check on the state of everything the day began at its normal pace. Between cooking, serving tables, talking to customers, and tackling some of the inevitable paperwork restaurant owners were privy to, the hours melted away. It was only until he had a moment to himself that the worry he had been holding at bay through sheer busyness hit him in full force.

            He was picking at the fries and burger he had made for himself. The churning in his stomach was making it hard for him to actually eat it. Thoughts of Nico, the boy with energy as big as his father’s, weighed down with the with the exhaustion and discomfort of a cold nearly broke Keith’s heart.

            Before could dwell any further, Keith was pulling out his phone.

_How is he?_

            Keith batted around a few fries in the time it took Lance to respond. The table shook with the force of his jiggling leg. 

_mostly he’s just tired. he’s asleep now_

_Shiro will be here in a few hours, then I’ll come home_

_see you soon <3_

            After his conversation with Lance, his day moved slower. Even on his best days, conversations with customers was tedious, but with his added need to get home, it seemed they were never ending. It was the same in the kitchen. Even while he was rushing to keep things in order, there were moments where it felt like whatever he was doing would extend until he died.

            But finally, mercifully, Shiro popped his head into their office while Keith was working on schedules for the next month.

            “Oh, thank god,” Keith said. He took his jacket from the back of his chair and scrounged around for his wallet and phone in the desk drawer. “Nico’s sick so I’m going to head out.”

            Shiro frowned. “You could have at least told me to come in a little early, you know.” He stepped out of the doorway. “Get out of here, go check on your kid. And take tomorrow off if he’s not better, I can handle it.”

            Keith paused for a moment but at Shiro’s gesture towards the exit, he sighed. “Thanks, Shiro.”  

            He practically bolted into the parking lot. When he reached his car, he wondered if he should stop by his apartment for some clothes, but he was sure he had everything he needed for a couple overnight stays already at Lance’s.

            He was determined to get home as fast as he could, but he did make a quick detour to the store to buy some chocolate milk.

            Other than that trip, he was home quickly. He let himself in and wandered to the kitchen, so he could put the milk in the fridge. There, he found Lance measuring out some bright red cold medicine.

            “Hey,” Keith said.

            Lance looked up and smiled. “Hey.”

            “I got him some chocolate milk,” Keith said as he fished it out of the bag.

            Lance opened a cupboard and brought down a small plastic cup decorated with little Spider-men.

            “You’re amazing,” Lance said. He took the milk from Keith and poured a little. “He hates taking medicine so much. Hopefully this is going to be a good incentive.” Lance walked over to Keith and handed him the cup before he kissed his cheek. “Come with me? He’ll be glad to see you’re here.”

            “Okay,” Keith said. He followed Lance to Nico’s room. Nico was in bed, sleeping, and clutching one of his stuffed animals. It looked like it was his stuffed cat’s turn to sleep with him that day.

            Lance sat beside him and gently shook his shoulder until he stirred with a little grumble. “Hey, bud. Time to take your medicine again.”

            “ _No,”_ Nico whined. “It’s gross.”

            “Nico, it’s good for you,” Keith said.

            Nico looked up at him and smiled but only until Lance handed him the medicine. Then, he wrinkled his nose and turned away.

            “Don’t wanna.”

            “Keith bought some chocolate milk you know,” Lance said. He guided Nico’s hand closer to his face. “The faster you drink this, the faster you get your milk.”

            Keith set the cup down on Nico’s bedside table and ran his hand through his hair. “Come on, it’s only a little bit, then you get this _whole_ cup of chocolate milk.”

            Nico looked between his medicine and his treat. He heaved a great sigh when he saw there was no other alternative to getting the chocolate milk. He dumped all the medicine into his mouth and swallowed all of it in one giant gulp. Once his medicine was down, he immediately pounced onto the chocolate milk.

            Lance ruffled his hair. “That’s my boy. Drinking that medicine like a champ.”

            Nico laughed and wiped the milk from his upper lip. “Thanks for the chocolate milk, Keith.”

            “I thought you might need it.”

            Nico nodded. “I hate being sick.”

            “I know, baby.” Lance kissed his forehead. “Go back to sleep. Keith and I will be in the living room, okay?”

            Lance gathered the empty medicine cup and left the room once Nico was settled back against his pillows. Keith brushed a hand over his forehead before joining Lance in the hallway.

            Lance sighed. “I wish there was more I could do for him.”

            Keith gathered him in his arms. “You’re a good dad. You’re doing everything you can.”

            “Love you.” Lance kissed his nose. “Are you staying over?”

            “Yeah,” Keith said. He let Lance go and followed him into the kitchen. They danced around each other as Keith put the milk away and Lance washed the medicine cup. “I’ll probably stay until he’s better.”

            “Geez, and you’re the one calling me a good dad.”

            Keith laughed. “Yeah, a good dad would actually, you know, be living with his son.”

            Lance bit his lip. “Maybe. But like you said, you’re doing everything you can for him.”

            Keith smiled and leaned down for a quick kiss. “Let’s watch bad sitcoms until we fall asleep.”

            “You read my mind.”


	4. Chapter 4

“How did you two even meet?” Pidge asked. She was eating at the bar while the restaurant wound down for the night. Her dinner of choice was a margarita pizza and a beer, both of which were nearly finished. “One day you just started ranting about some guy who had a restaurant with a similar name and I just accepted that that was going to be the topic of conversation for the next few months.”

            “That’s an exaggeration,” Lance said. He swiped away the remnants of soda and alcohol that stuck to the wood of the bar.

            “It is not,” Hunk said from where he was cleaning tables.

            “Yeah, you have an obsessive personality, Lance,” Pidge said. She took a prim sip of her beer. “I’m sorry you had to find out this way.”

            “Whatever,” Lance said with a sniff. “I know I talked about him a lot when I finally figured out he was cute but--”

            Pidge pointed at him with a drooping slice of her pizza. “Oh no, no, no, no. You _absolutely_ talked about Keith nonstop before you even knew his name.”

            “I didn’t have a moment of peace for months,” Hunk said. “Every time we had lunch together, it was all about Keith.” He paused and looked out the window at Keith’s restaurant set against a wall of other shops and restaurants. “Actually, I still can’t eat lunch without hearing about Keith.”

            “You like Keith,” Lance said.

            “Yeah, but I _don’t_ like hearing about your sex life.”

            “But he’s just so--”

            “We are stopping this conversation right now,” Pidge said. “Just answer the question.”

            “We had another shipment of fries coming the next day, but I fucked up that week’s order and we needed an extra box to get through the night.”

            “Wow, this story is really thrilling.”

            “Shut up,” Lance said. “Do you want to get through this?”

            Pidge rolled her eyes. “Keep going, lover boy.”

 

\---

 

            Lance and Hunk were in desperate need of fries. They had only had their restaurant opened for a month and were still learning the ropes, so Lance suspected this was an inevitable consequence of their lack of experience. But still, the closest bar and grill was The Red Lion, their rival. Lance hoped they didn’t order their fries from the same company, so he wouldn’t have to take their hand-outs.

            “Uh, should I go instead?” Hunk asked. “You look like you’re going to explode.”

            “No, I’ve got this,” Lance said. “All I have to do is ask them for a box of fries, right? I can totally do that. I will absolutely not be picking a fight with that pretty boy bastard who owns the restaurant.”

            “There’s actually two pretty boys who own it,” Hunk added.

            Lance groaned. “Totally unhelpful information, Hunk.”

            “Why do you hate that one guy so much anyway?”

            “One: his restaurant is called The Red Lion! That’s our thing. Two: he has a mullet and any guy with a mullet cannot be trusted.”

            Seriously, something about that guy just rubbed Lance the wrong way. Even though their restaurant had only been open for a short time, it seemed their businesses brought in roughly the same crowds, but it was the principal of having a practically identical restaurant across the street. It was unacceptable in Lance’s opinion. And ever since he and the mullet man unlocked their doors at the exact same time, Lance felt the inexplicable urge to fight the guy. Their eyes had seemed to lock from across the parking lot and Lance felt as if he could launch over the space between them just to give the guy a good one right across the jaw.

            “I really don’t trust you, but we need help in the kitchen,” Hunk said.

            “I’m good, Hunk,” Lance said. He left before Hunk could worry over him any longer and marched across the parking lot. _In and out_ , he kept telling himself. He would not linger any longer than he had to. The fries would be placed in his hands and then he would be gone so fast they would only see his outline in the dust.

            Lance entered the restaurant and noted the similar aesthetics it had to Hunk and Lance’s place. But surprisingly, there wasn’t much that was the same. Lance and Hunk leaned towards brighter colors for their booths and tables, but The Red Lion had a clear design of red and black. It would have been almost gothic if it weren’t for the modernity of the furniture.

            A teenaged hostess greeted him with a wide smile. “How many for you today?”

            “I’m actually not eating. I was wondering if I could talk to one of the owners? I’m over at The Blue Lion and we’re quickly running out of fries. I was wondering if we could set up a trade or something?”

            “Sure, what’s your name?”

            “Thanks, but I can take it from here,” someone said. Lance looked off to the side where the very man he least wanted to see approached. “I’m Keith.”

            “Lance.”

            They shook hands and Keith brought him deeper into the restaurant with a nod. They wandered into the kitchen where there were people bustling about and the sound of sizzling food mingled with the smell of them cooking into crisp fries and juicy burgers.

            Keith gestured to a small, cluttered office that somehow managed to hold two desks which were crammed together. Keith shut the door behind them, effectively muffling the bustle of the kitchen but not quite managing to cut them off from the smell of grease and delicious food.

            “So, what are you here for?” Keith asked.

            “Right,” Lance said. He cleared his throat. “I’m a co-owner over at The Blue Lion and, um, well we kind of underestimated how many fries we would need this week. We were kind of hoping you would be able to lend us a box just so we could get through the night.”

            “Sure,” Keith said. “I sometimes buy too much so you’re in luck.”

            “Awesome, thank you so much,” Lance said. He sighed and laughed to himself. “Man, I can’t believe I thought you were a huge asshole.”

            Keith visibly bristled, like a cat that just saw a stray pass by its perch in the window. “If you thought I was such an asshole why did you bother coming here?”

            “I didn’t exactly have any alternatives, I definitely wouldn’t have come here if I had another option,” Lance said. He laughed and stood up. “But anyways, thanks for lending a hand.”

            “I don’t think there’s gonna be a next time,” Keith said. He stood, practically baring his teeth.

            Lance’s smile left his face as quickly as it had appeared. “What?”

            “You’re the one who’s calling me an asshole.”

            “I wasn’t calling you an asshole, were you even listening to what I said?”

            “Yeah, you thought I was an asshole up until I offered to get you out of the hole you trapped yourself in.”

            “Yeah, and then I realized I was _wrong,”_ Lance said. “But maybe my first hunch was right.”

            Keith scoffed and stood. “Whatever. I’m getting you your fries, but don’t expect me to give you any more help after this.”

            He stormed out of the office, letting the door slam in his wake. Lance growled and buried his face in his hands.

            “What a--” he growled again. He couldn’t stay trapped inside of the office anymore. He slouched outside and waited outside the office door. Everyone was staring at him, likely wondering just what had pissed their boss off so much. Lance could not give them that answer.

            Keith returned shortly, with a big box of fries and a scowl gouged into his face.

            “Here.” He shoved the box into Lance’s arms. “Now get out.”

            _“You_ get out.”

            “You’re in _my_ restaurant.”

            “You didn’t let me finish,” Lance hissed. “Get out of my face.”

            Keith threw his hands up. “Are you a child?”

            “Maybe,” Lance said. “But at least I’m not an asshole.”

            Keith clenched his fists and Lance seriously wondered if he should drop the fries and try to deflect whatever punch was clearly coming, or if he should use the box to his advantage. But before either of them could move, a hand appeared over Keith’s shoulder.

            “Keith, what are you doing?”

            A tall man with obscenely thick muscles hovered over Keith and gripped him so hard, Lance could see the man’s fingertips turn white.

            “Showing Lance out.”

            The man sighed. “I’m Shiro and I’m also sorry about my brother.” He jostled his shoulder.

            “It’s fine,” Lance said, although he could still feel his blood simmering. “He lent me some fries and I think we had a little misunderstanding along the way. But _Shiro_ , if you ever need something, I’d be happy to help you out.”

            “Thanks,” Shiro said. “And, again, I’m sorry if Keith caused any offense.”

            “But he was the one who--”

            Shiro cut Keith off. “Enough.”

            “Thanks for the fries,” Lance mumbled. He got the hell out of there as fast as he could, vowing to never visit again.

            But the week after that they ran out of to-go cups and Hunk sent him on another mission. And the week after that, The Red Lion ran out of their own fries. This happened over and over until the two restaurants had practically set up their own little economy.

            It seemed Lance and Keith would be running into each other a lot more often.

 

\---

 

            “God, you two are a special brand of idiot,” Pidge said.

            “Nico wouldn’t be proud of what I did that day, but it had to be done.”

            “It really didn’t,” Hunk said.

            “You and Shiro wouldn’t have teamed up against us and set up those bullshit errands if we hadn’t fought that first day.” Lance had moved on to making sure the glasses were all cleaned and set in their proper place under the bar. “Then where would Keith and I be?”

            “Still mooning over each other,” Pidge said. When Lance only responded with a hummed “hm?” Pidge threw her hands up. “You clearly had a thing for Keith to begin with.”

            “Um, yeah, I gotta agree with Pidge,” Hunk said. “You thought he was hot the moment you saw him.”

            “Okay, I can’t even deny that I thought my Keith wasn’t smoking when I first saw him, but I really didn’t even think he and I could have been friends much less--”

            “Practically married?” Pidge asked. She hopped over the bar and walked over to the little sink that was hidden in the corner of the bar.

            “Hey, get the hell out of here,” Lance said. “You don’t even work here.”

            She shrugged. “I’m your best friend. Both of you. I think at this point I get honorary owner privileges.”

            Lance rolled his eyes but let her continue washing her dishes.

            Hunk set his bucket of soapy water on the bar and stretched. “I didn’t really think you two would be good friends either, I was kind of just hoping you would be civil.”

            Lance shrugged. “I think if we hadn’t sat together and got drunk on our own beers, we wouldn’t have been much more than that. But I don’t know. I guess that night we really opened up to each other and came to an understanding. That was the first time I saw him as _Keith_ and not just the annoying guy who yelled at me.”      

            Pidge gagged. “I can practically see the hearts in your eyes.”

            “Shush, Pidge,” Hunk said. “He’s telling us about the night he fell in love.”

            “I wouldn’t say that was the night I realized I was in love with him, but there was definitely a moment where I could see us being more than I ever thought we could be.”

            “That’s so adorable,” Hunk sighed. He took a few minutes to smile at his friend before he picked his bucket up. “Okay, now you have to help me clean the bathrooms.”

            “Way to kill the mood, bud,” Lance muttered.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think I was able to come up with a coherent timeline based on ages and seasons I mentioned in past chapters, but just in case I forgot something: do not trust past me. They forgot how to write fics that don't go through an editing and planning process before they are shared and consequently forgot that a timeline was a thing.

            Just before Lance and Keith had officially began dating, in January, Nico turned five years old. A few months before that, Lance enrolled him into a nearby elementary school where he would be beginning his first day of kindergarten in August. But, before Nico would begin his new adventures in public school, Lance would be celebrating his twenty-fourth birthday.  

            Keith thought he would be excited to have a party, but there were clearly other things on his mind.

            “Nico’s going to be starting _school_ next month. I just want to spend time with him,” Lance said. “I don’t really want a big party.”

            “I thought you’d be the type to want huge ragers,” Keith said. He was leaning against Lance as they sat on the couch. Nico was spending time with his cousins that day, so they had a few hours to themselves before they were to pick him up.

            “I just like being with the people I love,” Lance said. He burrowed into the crook of Keith’s neck and sighed. “I’m going to miss him when he’s at school.”

            “Then maybe we can just bring him to an arcade,” Keith said, running his hand through Lance’s hair. “Invite the rest of your family, Hunk and Shiro too, and you can just play games with him all night.”

            Lance hummed. “That sounds perfect.”

 

\---

 

            The arcade was bustling with people. From the moment they opened the door they were deafened by the binging and clanging and explosions that blasted from every game in the building. Nico immediately latched on to Keith and Lance’s hands as the rapid-fire lights assaulted them.

            They waded through the crowd of people together until they reached the dining area, where they found a room they had reserved. It was decorated from corner to corner with blue banners and balloons, with a single large table in the middle meant to seat all sixteen of them. Across the length of the table, on the far wall, was the largest of the banners that happily proclaimed, “Happy Birthday, Lance!”

            Nico let go of their hands and ran through the room with a laugh. He whopped the balloons that were within his reach and jumped onto the cushioned chairs that surrounded the table.

            “This whole room is ours?” Nico asked. He was sitting on his knees in the chair at the head of the table and bouncing up and down.

            “Yep,” Lance said. “All ours.”

            Nico leaped from his chair and dragged Keith and Lance to some chairs. “Feel them! They’re so bouncy.” When Keith and Lance laughed and made a show of pushing down the cushions, Nico joined in with them. “This room is awesome.”

            “Just you wait until we play all those video games out there,” Lance said. “We have enough tickets, so you can play your little heart out.”

            “But it’s your birthday?” Nico said.

            “My present is seeing my little boy having fun.” Lance walked over and planted a loud kiss onto Nico’s forehead. “Plus, I’m going to be spending time with you all night. Whichever game you play, I’ll play too.”

            “Really?” Nico smiled and leaped into his father’s arms. He turned to look at Keith and asked, “You’re coming too aren’t you, Keith?”

            Keith nodded. “If you want me to.”

            “We want you to!” Nico said. “Let’s go!”

            Lance chuckled. “We have to wait for the rest of the familia, Nico, just give it a few more minutes.”

            Nico sighed but continued with wandering around the room, studying decorations and bouncing on the chairs when he got bored. After five minutes, Nico sighed and deflated against the table.

            “Are they here yet?”

            “No, Nico,” Lance said. He patted his thigh. “Come here, we can play a game while we wait.”

            Immediately, Nico bounded over and sat on his father’s lap. “What game are we playing?”

            Lance shrugged. “Keith, any suggestions?”

            Keith didn’t have the slightest clue. He and Shiro never used to play games like these. They would mostly just sit in silence, or chat about something but they hadn’t often played games. Before Shiro, Keith didn’t have anyone to play games with.

            Without any other ideas, Keith slammed his elbow onto the table, his palm open. “Arm wrestling?”

            There were a few moments of silence before Lance and Nico burst into laughter.

            “Get him, Keith!” Nico said as he bounced off Lance’s lap. He scraped a chair over, so he was in between the two of them as they moved so a corner of the table separated them.

            “You’re not even going to route for your own dad?” Lance said. He clutched at his heart and groaned. “You’re killing me, son, you’re really killing me.”

            Nico giggled. “Keith’s nice.” He clambered onto his chair and planted a kiss on Lance’s forehead. “Still love you, daddy.” Keith was caught by surprise when Nico also his forehead too. “But I love Keith too, now.”

            “Love you too, bud,” Keith said with a smile beginning to bloom on his face. Lance was watching the two of them, his face quickly melting into that soft one he always wore when he watched Keith wake up or when Nico did or said something adorable.

            “I, for the record, also love you,” Lance proclaimed loudly. “Both of you, but this isn’t the time for love. It’s the time for _wrestling.”_

            Nico laughed and bounced on his chair. “Go, go, go. Wrestle!”

            Lance and Keith clasped hands and looked at each other. Lance smirked and that was enough to make Keith weak. He suddenly was unsure if he could beat him, not if he continued to have that poorly hidden heart-eyed look behind the show of his smile and flexing arm.

            Lance raised an eyebrow. “One.”

            Keith squeezed his hand. “Two.”

            Lance tensed his arm and stared. He stared for so long, Keith almost forgot what they were doing. They only ever looked at each other like this once they’d woken up next to each other. Keith could still remember the first night they had done that. It had been before he met Nico, but Keith had never felt more connected to anyone than Lance. The morning was giving way to noon, but they were still tucked under the covers. Lance’s warmth was more comforting than the large blanket draped over them, and Keith could see his future in Lance’s sleeping face.

            “Three!”

            Lance slammed Keith’s hand to the table before he could fully understand what was happening.

            “Daddy, you won!” Nico said. He jumped off his chair and did a little dance around the table.

            “Oh my god, you _cheated,”_ Keith said. “Rematch. I’m calling a rematch.”

            “I did no such thing,” Lance said. He rested his chin on his hands. I love you, why would I do that?”

            “You sabotaged me!” Keith said.

            Nico gasped. “Sabotage?” Keith was sure Nico didn’t entirely know that word, but he was grateful for the backup anyhow.

            “Yes, Nico, sabotage,” Keith said. He leaned forward until he and Lance had their foreheads practically pressed together. “That’s a very bad thing to do.”

            “And how did I do it, sweetie?”

            “Just you with--with your stupid, beautiful eyes and that--that stupid, heart-melting look.” Lance began to laugh, which in turn made Keith break his pretend scowl to snort. “Okay, no, you know what you did. The puppy-dog face!”

            “The puppy-dog face?”

            “Yeah, the _puppy-dog face._ Where you look all cute and doe-eyed to get what you want.”

            “Prove I have a puppy-dog face,” Lance said.

            “Oh, I’ll prove it.”

            “What are your dads up to, Nico?” a woman’s voice said.

            “Tia Veronica!” Nico said. He sprinted over to her and latched onto her thigh. “They’re doing arm wrestling and Keith is mad he lost.”

            “I’m not mad, I’m just--just seeking justice.”

            “Must be pretty serious if you’re ignoring my ‘dads’ comment,” Veronica muttered. “It really isn’t fun when you two don’t react.”

            “You just want to get us embarrassed. It’s not going to happen, Veronica,” Lance said. 

            “We’ll see about that,” Veronica said. She picked Nico up and whispered something into his ear that made him giggle.

            Nico took in a deep breath before shouting, _“Keith and Lance are my dads!”_

            It was as if Nico had screamed the words into a vacant cave. The words echoed over and over, and Keith felt as if he were deafened by them. He could only blink and try to close his mouth from where it had fallen open.

            “Oh my _god,”_ Veronica said with a little laugh. “We broke them, Nico. High five.”

            The clap of their meeting hands seemed distant to Keith. He vaguely wondered if this was like the experiences people had before they went into cardiac arrest.  

            Lance finally broke his gaze by slowly sliding his hand over Keith’s. When their eyes met, they smiled and leaned over the table towards each other.

            “Maybe one day, right Keith?” Lance whispered.

            “Yeah.” Keith bit his lip, if only to keep his smile from growing too large. “One day.”


	6. Chapter 6

            “Do you have your notebook? All your pencils?” Lance asked. He shot up straight suddenly and rushed off to the kitchen. “Oh my god, your _lunch.”_

            Keith ruffled Nico’s hair and went after Lance who was already throwing Tupperware every which way.

            “Do you think he’d want ham, turkey, or roast beef?” Lance sifted through the refrigerator, his head all the way inside. “Maybe I should have bought him a Lunchable to take instead. He always loves the little pizza ones.” Lance emerged with a red face and an assortment of ingredients that wouldn’t ever be seen in a kindergartner’s lunch.

            “Hey, hey,” Keith stopped him before he could make it any closer to the counter with his tower of food. “I knew you were frantic this morning, so I already made him something.”

            Keith reached for the little lunch bag Lance had bought Nico during their back to school shopping. Inside, he had placed a ham sandwich (no cheese, like Nico preferred), a healthy serving of chips, a box of apple juice, and a cookie.

            “I love you so much,” Lance said. He kissed Keith quickly before he went out into the entryway where Nico was standing, now with his new shoes on. Lance turned him around and placed his lunch into the backpack they had also gotten him the week before. It was slightly too big on him but that was only a plus in Keith’s opinion. He looked like a little turtle.

            “Okay, let’s go,” Lance said when he zipped Nico’s backpack up. “We don’t want to be late. I want all your teachers to love you as much as I do.”

            “That’s impossible,” Nico said.

            Lance smiled and pinched at Nico’s cheek. “Well then, I’d like them to try.”

 

\---

 

            Nico’s school was ten minutes away, but it didn’t feel that long. Before either Keith or Lance was ready, they were in the front parking lot of the school where streams of parents and children were already milling about. Off to the side, there was a procession of teachers holding signs with their names up.

            “You remember your teacher’s name?” Keith asked.

            “Allura!” Nico said.

            “Alright, let’s go find her.”

            Keith kept an eye on Lance as they weaved through the parking lot and set foot on the little park beside the school. There was a sanded area where the swing sets and slides rested farther down, closer to the back of the school and a black top that lead from the very back of the building to the playground. But closer to the front, where the three of them were coming from, was lush green grass encircled by a sidewalk.

            Most of the teachers stood on the sidewalk, some spilling onto the grass. For the kindergarten class, there were only two teachers, so it was easy to identify Nico’s teacher, Allura. She was standing with a small smile on her face, already talking with a circle of students gathered around her.

            “I really don’t think Nico is going to have a problem with her,” Keith noted. Lance only gave him a hum in answer.

            “That’s her, right daddy?” Nico asked, pointing at his new teacher. He sounded out the sign she read. “Uh-lure-uh.”

            “That’s right, little man,” Lance said. He kissed Nico’s head and pushed him towards her. “Why don’t you say hello?”

            Lance straightened and watched as Nico bounded over to his teacher. She immediately greeted him and listened intently to what he said. When she spoke back to him, Nico turned around and pointed directly to Keith and Lance. She waved at them and smiled kindly. Keith waved back, for once, more enthusiastic than Lance.

            Lance and Keith watched as Nico interacted with his teacher and shook the hands of his new classmates. It seemed as if he was immediately and seamlessly absorbed into their group. He had always been as good as Lance was at charming people. 

            Music began playing just as Keith was wondering when they would begin going inside and if they needed to greet the teacher as well. The teachers began calling out orders and leading their charges into the school through the back. Nico’s was the last class to go. As he rounded the corner of the school, he looked behind him and jumped in the air, so Keith and Lance could clearly see him waving goodbye one last time.

            As soon as Nico was out of sight, Lance was in Keith’s arms. He breathed deeply.

            “He’s growing up too quickly,” Lance murmured. “You think he’s going to be okay?”

            “He’s like you, he’ll be perfectly fine,” Keith said. He brushed some of Lance’s hair behind his ear.

            Lance chuckled. “That’s supposed to be a good thing? He’s supposed to surpass me.”

            “He’s five,” Keith said with a breathy laugh. “For now, he’s got everything that makes the both of you perfect. You’re so strong-willed and independent. I think that’s what makes your magnetism so strong. He’s the same way.” Keith tilted Lance’s face up. “He’ll be okay.”

            Lance smiled and kissed him. “Love you.”

            “Love you too,” Keith said. “Let’s get back home.”

            Lance groaned and retreated into Keith’s chest again. “Ugh, having both of you away from home is going to suck.”

            “Then I guess I just won’t leave.”

            Lance pulled away. “Did you just ask if you could move in with me?”

            “I don’t know.” Keith shrugged. “I know we’ve been thinking about it, just--I don’t know if I would be good to Nico. What if I mess up after I move in? Maybe I can’t do this whole parenting thing full-time.”

            “Baby,” Lance said. “You’re _already_ doing it full-time. I can’t even remember the last time you didn’t stay over. If you go back to your apartment now, there won’t be anything left but dust and cobwebs.”

            “Is it moving too fast? I only met Nico a couple months ago,” Keith said. “I’m just afraid he’s going to end up resenting me or--or something, I don’t know. I’m--I’m nervous.”

            Lance smiled. “Just last night he told you he loved you and you said it back. I love you too, Keith. There’s nothing Nico and I want more except to be your family.”

            “God,” Keith buried his face into Lance’s neck. “Okay. Okay, I’ll move in.”

            Lance tugged lightly on his hair. “Hey, hey are you crying?”

            “Shut up,” Keith muttered. “You can’t get me all emotional and then tease me.”

            Lance laughed. “Let’s go home.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I cannot believe I actually managed the double update.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A very short one for today. Saturday should be the only other time I have to make a chapter this small.

            “Wow, Nico, you’re really strong,” Keith said. “Your dad and I barely have to do anything.”

            “I know,” Nico said. He stood up on his toes, so he could hold the middle of the couch a little higher.

            “Where would we be without your help?” said Lance.

            “We’d definitely be in trouble,” Keith said. He looked behind him and saw the front door looming a mere foot away. He sighed. “Okay, time to flip it on its side again.”

            Lance and Keith maneuvered it, so it was lying on its side, in the perfect position to be slid into the narrow hallway and finally dragged down the stairs.

            “Nico come help me bud, I need your muscles to push,” Lance said.

            Nico bounded over to Lance’s side and readied himself to push.

            “Okay,” Keith said. “This is going to be rough.”

            “Come on, you said you were good at math and physics in school,” Lance said.

            Keith sniffed. “Yeah, but it’s been a while since I actually learned any of that stuff.”

            Lance groaned. “Why couldn’t you have kept the furniture here?”

            “Because the landlord hates me.” Keith began backing up into the hallway and angling the couch diagonally. 

            “We don’t hate you!” Nico said.

            “I know, I love you too,” Keith said. He smiled at them and continued to pull the couch into the hallway until it hit the opposing wall. “I think you two can lift it up?”

            “I don’t like that you phrased that as a question,” Lance said, his voice muffled as the couch was raised in front of his face.

            “Well, I think if you lift it up, I can move it to the side a little more,” Keith said. He pushed the couch and nearly cheered when it gave way.

            “Ouch!” Lance said.

            Keith immediately stopped and tried to peak around the cushions. “Are you okay?”

            “Yeah, just broke every finger in my hand,” Lance said.

            “Papa hold it like this,” Nico said.

            “That is definitely the safest way to do this,” Lance murmured. The couch slightly rocked back and forth as Lance repositioned himself. “’Kay, you won’t break me this time.”

            Lance’s fingers were safe for another five minutes, but during the final shove the couch made it completely into the hallway but scraped against the door frame on its way, effectively trapping Lance’s fingers between a cushion and a hard place for a painful moment. 

            _“Fu-”_ Lance cut himself off with a groan and clutched at his hand. “Well, that hurt.”

            “Jesus, Lance.” Keith vaulted the couch and took Lance’s hand in his. “Good thing that was the last piece of furniture or you’d be dead before we finished.”

            “Kiss it better,” Lance said with a sniff.

            Keith brought Lance’s hand to his lips and kissed each of his knuckles and then his palm for good measure.

            “Better?”

            Lance hummed and shook his head. He tapped his lips. “I think I need another kiss.”

            Keith tugged him forward to replace Lance’s finger with a chaste kiss. “Better now?”

            Lance shook his head. “I’m afraid I need yet another kiss.” He turned to Nico and knelt down. “Will you complete the healing process for me? Nico, you’re my only hope.”

            Nico nodded once and took Lance’s hand dutifully in both of his. He kissed Lance’s knuckle with a resounding, drawn out _“Mwah!”_

            Lance jumped up, flexing his hand as he did. “I feel rejuvenated! Like a new man!”

            Nico laughed and jumped with him. “Rejuvie-nated!”

            “Rejuvenated!” Lance answered.

            “Rejuvie-nated!” Nico yelled. He jumped into the hallway, still chanting his new word as Lance and Keith picked up the couch one more time.

            “Hey, buddy, want some pizza once we’re done here?” Lance called down the stairs.

            “Pizza! Yes!” Nico said.

            “I could really use some pizza too,” Keith said. He grunted as Lance pushed a little harder than he was ready for. “I want pizza and to never see this couch again.”

            “You and me both, babe,” Lance said. “Let’s get it the heck out of here.”

            “And then eat enough pizza we throw up?” Keith said.

            “God, I love you,” Lance said. “You just constantly put my thoughts to words.”

            “Stunning, considering I’m the one who talks the least out of the both of us.”

            “Is that any way to speak to the _father_ of your _child?”_

            “Hey,” Keith said. Lance hummed in response. “I love you too.”   


	8. Chapter 8

            Nico leaped all over their living room, swinging his sword and roaring at the enemies he had conjured across the sea of carpet.

            Keith was glad to see he was enjoying his new costume. The old one he had from the previous Halloween was too short to even brush his wrists and ankles. A trip to the costume aisle had been long overdue, plus, Lance had wanted Keith to dress up too. But costumes weren’t something he had ever bothered to put on his shopping list.

            When they had gotten to the store, they had spent a long hour going up and down the aisles. Nico settled on his knight’s costume fairly quickly. He liked the lion emblazoned on the chest plate, he said. And, a little foam sword came with it, which was all the encouragement Nico needed. Keith was harder to settle.

            Lance and Nico kept pulling ridiculous costumes seemingly out of thin air. He didn’t know how they got it in their heads that he would ever be caught wearing a cow onesie, but amongst the plethora of other costumes they presented to him, it slowly came closer and closer to becoming desirable.

            Finally, when Nico was clearly starting to become inpatient, Lance announced. “You’re going to be a space pirate.”  

            He and Nico quickly filled their cart with items that would complete his look, beginning with a hooded cape and ending in a sparkling silver eye mask that Nico insisted was an essential part of being a space pirate.

            At the register, Keith wasn’t entirely sold on his costume and on that night of Halloween, he still wasn’t sure about it. But Nico seemed to be having fun. The sun hadn’t even set yet and he and Lance were already donning their costumes.

            “Come on, Keith,” Lance said from the bathroom. “We’re almost dressed.”

            “What if I look stupid?” Keith groaned.

            “You always look stupid.”

            “I love you, too.”

            Lance sighed. “Keith, sweetheart, do you really thing I would pick a costume that made you look terrible?”

            “I really wouldn’t put it past you.”

            “This is our first Halloween as a family Keith Kogane--” Lance popped his head out into the hallway, solely so he could narrow his eyes at Keith. “--and you _will_ dress up with us.”

            Keith smiled. He had meant to argue, maybe tell Lance that they weren’t even married or even engaged yet, or that they were only a couple months into living together. But instead, he followed Lance back into the bathroom.

            Leaning against the doorframe, he watched Lance draw whiskers across his face. He neatly circled them around his nose which was already colored black.

            “You know, I’ve never been trick or treating before.”

            Lance paused. “Never? Not even with your dad?”

            “Well, I don’t really remember.” Keith shrugged. “So even if I did, I don’t think it counts.”

            Lance drew the last whisker on his face and threw his eyeliner onto the counter, so he could hold Keith’s hips instead.

            “Well, now you definitely have to dress up,” Lance said.

            They leaned into each other, following the magnetism that always lead to the inevitable meeting of their lips.

            Keith tilted his head and leaned forward in an effort to deepen their kiss. But Lance pulled away before he could get very far. He tapped the side of his nose. “Can’t smudge this.”

            “You’re going to kill me,” Keith said.

            Lance smiled and smacked his ass. “Go get naked.”

            “I really will die.”

            Without so much as a warning, Lance shoved him into the hall. “And don’t come back until you’re dressed appropriately.”

 

\---

 

            By the time night fell, Lance, Keith and Nico had been in their costumes for hours.

            Nico had been winding up the entire night in an anticipatory sugar high. And the second the sky became a deep blue, Nico was pulling Lance and Keith to the front door.

            “Come on, come on!” Nico said. He rushed into his room while Keith and Lance stumbled into their shoes and emerged with a large, empty pillowcase. “We have to go before everyone’s bedtime.”

            Lance ruffled his hair. “Everyone’s bed time gets pushed back on Halloween, we have plenty of time to fill your bag up _twice.”_

            “Are we going to get _two_ bags of candy?” Nico said, the stars shining in his eyes.

            “Absolutely not,” Lance said. “If you had that much candy, you’d start vibrating so hard you’d launch into space and I’d like it very much if you stayed on Earth with me. It’s for your own protection.”

            “You’d miss us in space, wouldn’t you?” Keith asked.

            “Yeah,” Nico admitted. He held out his bag. “But we can still fill this one up, right?”

            “Oh, yeah, buddy,” Lance said.

            Nico cheered and raced out the door.

            “Are we ready for this?” Keith asked. “He’s hyper on a calm day, what is he going to be like when he’s full of candy?”

            Lance stood in front of Keith and placed his hands on his shoulders. “This is that kid’s equivalent of cocaine. All we can do is hide the candy at the top of the fridge and hope he doesn’t go ballistic when we only give him a few pieces a day.”

            “Lance, he’s got the puppy-dog face mastered. He’s even better at it than you are.”

            “Be strong, Keith.”

            “Come _on!”_ Nico called. _“Candy!”_

 

\---

 

            By the end of the night, their feet were sore, and their pillowcase was fit to burst. Lance had to carry Nico the last few blocks back to their apartment, but as soon as they stepped inside, he had shot off to the dining room and upended all his candy onto the table.

            “Two pieces,” Lance said. “It’s way past all of our bedtimes. You can have more after lunch tomorrow.”

            “After lunch?” Nico exclaimed. “That’s in forever.” He scrambled to Lance and attached himself firmly to Lance’s leg. “Please, daddy, can I have four?”

            “No.”

            “Pretty please with a cherry on top?”

            “No, only two.”

            _“Keith,”_ Nico whined. “Please, can I have four?”

            Keith was completely unprepared to be met with Nico’s jutting lip and wide eyes. But Lance had said no, he had to, too.

            Saying, “No, Nico, not tonight,” was like eating glue.

            “Puh- _lease?”_

Lance sighed. “Three.”

            “Thank you, thank you, thank you!” Nico said. He bounded over to his candy mountain and sifted through it until he came out with the three pieces he would absolutely die without.

            As Lance and Keith tied the bag, once Nico was tucked in bed, and placed it on top of the fridge, Keith sighed.

            “It’s going to be a long few weeks.”

            “Oh, yeah.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Rediscovering that I can write has just about the same revelatory powers that the Neanderthals probably experienced when they made fire for the first time. I know how words go!


	9. Chapter 9

            Their kitchen was a wasteland. Flour had bulldozed its way into every corner and the sugar teamed up with it to replace the caulk between the counter tiles. Nico wasn’t helping clean up, to say the least. He was busy playing with the leftover pie crust like it was Play-Doh, completely unaware of the flakes that fell onto the floor or stuck to the parts of the counter that had escaped the flour.

            Their quiet but messy pie-making afternoon was interrupted by a loud crash. Keith whipped away from the pie filling he had been wrestling with, towards the source of the sound.

            Lance stood in front of the sink with his hands held out straight in front of him. It didn’t do much good because their precarious tower of mixing bowls had crashed to his feet.

            “Um,” Lance said.

            “Papa, no!” Nico said. He jumped from the stool he used to reach the counter and joined Lance in staring at the new mess.

            Lance finally dropped his hands. When he turned to look at Keith his eyes were wide.

            “We are never making pies again.” Lance stuck one foot out to show the splatter painting of chocolate on his leg.

            Nico ran his finger through one of the globs, so he could get a taste.

            “Tasty,” he said.

            Lance followed his lead and smacked his lips. “Nico, you really know what you’re talking about.”

            Keith shook his head but couldn’t resist the pull to try some himself. He took some from Lance’s calf and hummed. They _had_ done a good job. It was sweet enough to satisfy Lance and Nico’s sweet tooth, but it didn’t overwhelm Keith like chocolate often did.

            “Do you like it?” Lance asked. “I tried putting in less sugar for you.”

            Keith smiled and opened his mouth, but his answer was cut off by a knock on the door.

            Lance stared towards the direction of their front door for a moment before he turned to Keith. “You’re getting that.”

            “Go clean yourself up,” Keith said with a smile.

            The sounds of Nico and Lance tearing at the paper towels and running the sink followed him to the door. He was wrapped in the sounds of his home and so when he opened the door to reveal a young Asian woman with a suitcase and a huge smile, he was taken aback. Just behind her was a much taller white guy who oozed the vibe of a Californian surfer dude.

            “Hi!” the woman said.

            “Hi,” Keith answered. “Uh, can I help you?”

            The woman grabbed the handle of her suitcase and took a step forward. “You must be Keith. Lance told me so much about you in his e-mails.” She stuck her free hand out. “I’m Nyma.”

            “Oh.” Keith felt a bit as if he was tilting over. He could see it now; her eyes were Nico’s--everything from the shape to the color. Lance never mentioned that she was coming. They had kept contact over the years, if only so she could keep up with Nico’s growth while she chased her world traveling dreams.

            “Mom!” Nico exclaimed. He launched himself towards them and jumped straight into Nyma’s arms.

            “Oh my gosh, look how big you are now,” Nyma said. “Pictures don’t do you justice, you’re all grown up now, aren’t you?”

            Nico nodded. “I’m in school now!”

            “Wow, you are growing up at light speed” Nyma said.

            Keith finally had the forethought to step away from the door. “You should come in.”

            The three of them filed inside as Nyma and Nico continued their chat about school. Before the man passed him, he offered his hand. “Name’s Rolo.”

            “Keith.”

            Lance popped his head into the hallway to see what all the commotion was. He instantly lit up when he saw who was wading their way through their apartment.

            “Nyma! You didn’t say you were coming over,” Lance said. “I would hug you, but we have a light carpet and _I_ have chocolate all over my feet.”

            “What the hell were you doing?” Nyma asked. Keith bit his lip. He didn’t know if he should admonish her for cursing in front of Nico, but she might not be as used to censoring herself as they were.

            Or maybe she just didn’t care enough.

            “We’re making pies for tomorrow,” Lance said. “Is that why you wanted to pay us a visit? Not enough food over there in Europe?”    

            “Not enough Thanksgiving either,” she said. She leaned down and smothered Nico’s cheeks with kisses. “And _definitely_ not enough Nico.”

            Nico giggled and latched onto his mother’s arm before she could stand back up. She settled for sitting right there on the floor and pulled him into her lap.

            “How long are you thinking of staying?” Lance asked. He waddled back into the kitchen and set to scrubbing himself off with a damp rag.

            Nyma shrugged. “Dunno. However long it takes before I get restless again. I might stay until Christmas. Rolo wants to visit his family in Russia again though. And I want to see mine back in Tibet.” She swirled Nico’s hair in her hand and sighed. “My grandma’s getting sick.”

            “Then you should go see her,” Lance said. “You shouldn’t wait for that kind of thing.”

            “I convinced my parents to make a Skype account finally, so if there’s news I’ll be the first to hear. Otherwise, I’ll probably stick around for about a month and then head off again.”

            “Only a month?” Keith asked. He regretted asking when all of them looked at him. Obviously, if her grandmother was sick, she should go see her but Nyma’s grandmother was a nameless stranger to Keith. Nico was more real to him and seeing him cling to Nyma made him wonder if all Nyma’s traveling was actually okay with him. Had anyone ever bothered to ask?

            Rolo chuckled. “That’s a long time for Nyma.”

            “Oh, yeah,” Lance said. “She’s stayed for, like, a single day before.”

            Keith’s chest ached. Didn’t Nico get lonely? Didn’t he lie awake at night, angry and confused and asking himself why she left him?

            “Where are you staying?” Lance asked. He had finished washing off the chocolate from his legs and feet and was returning to making the chocolate pudding pie he had been working on before the explosion. 

            “Just a hotel tonight,” Nyma said. Keith slipped past them and went back to his pie filling as well. “After though, we’re gonna go halfsies on this place that’s renting.”

            “It’s a real dump,” Rolo said.

            “You only have to stay in it for a month,” Keith said. “If that.”

            Lance frowned at Keith for a bare moment before he turned away and laughed. “Yeah, you’ll be rid of it soon enough.”

            Keith tuned out the rest of their conversation and focused on finishing the pies.

 

\---

 

            The day seemed too long to Keith. By the time Nyma and Rolo had gone off to their hotel Nico was asleep and Keith was more than on his way to joining him. Lance chattered as they went through their nightly ritual, but when they clambered into bed, he fell silent.

            Keith felt his arm being stroked.

            “Are you okay?” Lance asked.

            “Fine.”

            Lance sat up. “You are the worst liar.” He turned on their bedside lamp again and flooded the room with light that seemed too bright to Keith. “What’s wrong?”

            “I don’t know.”

            “Keith--”

            Keith rolled over, so he was facing Lance. He reached for his hand and Lance met him halfway without a moment’s thought or hesitation. “I’m not lying. I really don’t know.”

            Lance brushed some of Keith’s hair from his face. “Do you not like Nyma?”

            “No, she seems nice enough.” Keith squeezed his hand. “Nico loves her.”

            “So, you do like her.” Lance breathed out. “Thank god. I’m a terrible mediator, I wouldn’t be able to handle it.”

            Keith pursed his lips. “I’m not sure I like her either, though.”

            “You’re not the type of guy who feels complete indifference towards people. You’re very good at immediately liking or hating someone,” Lance said with a small smile. “What are you thinking?”

            Keith shrugged. “I guess I just--I don’t really like that she travels a lot.”

            “Why not?”

            Because she had spent an entire year raising Nico after he was born and still walked away. Nico can’t be okay with growing up with an absent mother. That did things to a person, bad things. It stuck with them.

            “Doesn’t Nico get lonely when she’s gone?”

            Lance brought Keith’s hand up to his lips to kiss it. “Nyma has been this way for as long as he can remember, he’s used to it by now. He does miss her sometimes, but a Skype call always makes him feel better. Plus, he has us.”

            Keith smiled, but only for a moment. “She loves him so much, how can she leave?”

            “She’s got an insatiable wanderlust,” Lance said with a small laugh. “It doesn’t help that we had Nico before we were ready. He wasn’t--he wasn’t planned, you know that. By the time we realized, it was too late to get an abortion.”

            “Nico isn’t a mistake.”

            “Of course he isn’t. Nyma doesn’t think of him that way and you know I don’t.” Lance leaned over Keith and cupped his face. “Baby, you’re worrying me. Where is all this coming from?”

            “I--I don’t know,” Keith said. “Just--why would she leave? What was the _reason?”_

            Lance was silent for a few long moments, then he leaned down and kissed the corner of Keith’s mouth. “Not Nyma?”

            Keith closed his eyes and whispered, “Not Nyma.”

            “I don’t know,” Lance said. “But you know she loved your dad a lot and you know he loved her. That has to count for something. No one can leave that for no reason. I know I couldn’t leave you, no matter what.”

            “What if the reason was me?” Keith asked. “She loved my dad, but she clearly didn’t love me.”

            Lance pressed Keith’s face to his chest and curled around him. “You don’t know that.”

            “But I feel it,” Keith said. “Whether it’s true or not doesn’t matter. I can _feel_ it as if it were real.”

            “I wish you didn’t,” Lance whispered. “I wish you didn’t.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been trying to write this story for nearly a year and this has been the only time I've actually done something with it beyond the first chapter and now I've finally gotten to the chapter I had always envisioned for it (with added conflict since the seasons that have aired since I first tried writing it have given some more depth to this encounter). Sorry I couldn't give y'all a fluffier ending but everything I tried just ended up tearing down all the tension I wanted to carry over so future chapters would be more effective. I promise it'll be happy again very very soon!!

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to scream about vld with me on [my tumblr](https://memeclains.tumblr.com/)  
> !!


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